Duane Cross

Elliott Gordon

Dave Rodman

Jimmie Johnson is my click to pick: The No. 48 team wasn't dominant during the regular season, but JJ and crew chief Chad Knaus have been here before. The experience they gained during last year's Chase is a plus, as is the team's record: 11 wins, 38 top-10s and an average finish of 11.6 in 61 races at the next 10 tracks.

Rusty Wallace just ain't gonna cut it: As much as it hurts me to say this, I just don't see a celebration at the end of Rusty's "Last Call." The No. 2 crew deserves big props for keeping Wallace in contention (he's been outside the top 10 only four weeks this year), but the Penske stable just isn't cut from title cloth.

Matt Kenseth is feeling the force: Admit it: The No. 17 wasn't on your radar, either, two months ago. But give Robbie Reiser a lot of credit for keeping everyone on the same page and preaching patience as Kenseth kept chipping away at the team's points deficit. This team is a not-so-dark horse to win a second title.

Projected Chase finish

1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Greg Biffle
3. Tony Stewart
4. Kurt Busch
5. Matt Kenseth
6. Rusty Wallace
7. Ryan Newman
8. Mark Martin
9. Carl Edwards
10. Jeremy Mayfield

Tony Stewart is my click to pick: Riding a streak of 12 consecutive finishes inside the top-10, it seems hard to bet against the 2002 champion going into the Chase. Further, Stewart has won at seven of the 10 Chase tracks and has a combined career average finish of 11.65 across those venues. Smokin'!

Jeremy Mayfield just ain't gonna cut it: Look, I am a big Mayfield fan but there is no chance he will hoist the hardware. He just hasn't proven to me that he is consistent enough to get it done. When you look at his Chase competition, he has half as many top-10s as those above him in the standings.

Greg Biffle is feeling the force: With five Roush teammates racing for the championship, it is a tough call to pick which one has the best shot at being a dark horse. If Biffle turns it on during the final 10 races like he did during the first 10 -- three wins and six top-10s -- No. 16 will bring home No. 3 for Roush.

Projected Chase finish

1. Tony Stewart
2. Greg Biffle
3. Kurt Busch
4. Matt Kenseth
5. Jimmie Johnson
6. Mark Martin
7. Rusty Wallace
8. Carl Edwards
9. Ryan Newman
10. Jeremy Mayfield

Tony Stewart is my click to pick: Stewart will win his second title because he and his Gibbs team have aligned themselves perfectly with consistent runs since the middle of the summer. They're heading into the portion of the season in which they have previously scored great successes -- the stretch run.

Carl Edwards just ain't gonna cut it: Even though Edwards will bring one of the brightest lights and most exuberant talents to the Chase, his youthful spirit and inexperience will prevent him from making an impact. But if you must first lose a title to win one, look out in the future.

Matt Kenseth is feeling the force: He has forged a run into the Chase under the most difficult of circumstances -- being out of contention and forgotten by mid-summer only to pull everything together and race consistently into the Chase, where he will rely on his previous championship experience to potentially win again.

Projected Chase finish

1. Tony Stewart
2. Greg Biffle
3. Rusty Wallace
4. Mark Martin
5. Kurt Busch
6. Matt Kenseth
7. Jimmie Johnson
8. Jeremy Mayfield
9. Ryan Newman
10. Carl Edwards

Marty Smith

Ryan Smithson

Mark Spoor

Kurt Busch is my click to pick: Busch edges teammates Matt Kenseth and Greg Biffle, mainly because he's won Loudon and Martinsville in the past, and his superspeedway program is far superior. Loudon, Martinsville and Talladega will be integral races in determining the 2005 championship.

Jeremy Mayfield just ain't gonna cut it: An impressive season for the Evernham boys, but not enough depth nor gusto to contend for the title.

Rusty Wallace is feeling the force: Easy-does-it for the veteran driver. He's not yet won in 2005, and despite the flashy Chase format always remembers that consistency reigns supreme.

Projected Chase finish

1. Kurt Busch
2. Greg Biffle
3. Matt Kenseth
4. Tony Stewart
5. Jimmie Johnson
6. Rusty Wallace
7. Mark Martin
8. Carl Edwards
9. Ryan Newman
10. Jeremy Mayfield

Tony Stewart is my click to pick: Tony Stewart will easily cruise to his second championship, and that is remarkable considering he will be drowning in a sea of Hendrick and Roush machines. Stewart is historically a strong finisher, and his consistency this season will continue over the final 10-race stretch.

Rusty Wallace just ain't gonna cut it: Unless Penske is able to get some help from NASCAR, I don’t see Rusty making much of a run. The current Dodge Charger is simply not a great race car, and that hurts Wallace a lot. I also will be interested to see if Wallace can keep up his consistency.

Carl Edwards is feeling the force: If he can get through Martinsville, I think you’ll be surprised at Carl Edwards. I certainly expect him to finish in the top five. Roush Racing has been the best team at the cookie-cutter speedways, and those make up half of the home stretch.

Projected Chase finish

1. Tony Stewart
2. Greg Biffle
3. Matt Kenseth
4. Carl Edwards
5. Kurt Busch
6. Jimmie Johnson
7. Ryan Newman
8. Mark Martin
9. Rusty Wallace
10. Jeremy Mayfield

Tony Stewart is my click to pick: In all sports, it's all about momentum and the No. 20 team has plenty of it. The last time Tony Stewart finished outside the top eight was at Pocono -- in June. If you're worried about him faltering, don't. In last year's Chase, after his tough start at New Hampshire, Stewart's average finish was 9.9.

Jeremy Mayfield just ain't gonna cut it: Sure, he's been consistent, but an average finish of 14.6, as he's had all season long, just won't cut it in the final 10. When Mayfield won at Michigan in August, it was just his sixth top-10 finish of the year -- and he didn't get another until Richmond.

Carl Edwards is feeling the force: The tracks that make up the Chase set up well for Edwards. He won at Atlanta, was seventh at Phoenix and has done exceedingly well at other flat tracks all season. Plus, he's got the Roush army behind him, which has won the past two championships.

Projected Chase finish

1. Tony Stewart
2. Matt Kenseth
3. Jimmie Johnson
4. Kurt Busch
5. Carl Edwards
6. Mark Martin
7. Rusty Wallace
8. Ryan Newman
9. Greg Biffle
10. Jeremy Mayfield